Al Mayadeen: Turkey avoids escalation of tensions with Russia
Relations between Russia and Turkey have been difficult throughout history, writes Al Mayadeen. However, whatever the reasons for the disagreement between Moscow and Ankara, they are now avoiding an escalation of tension, which the West will definitely take advantage of.
Hosni Mahali
Whatever the points of disagreement and rapprochement between the two sides, not only in terms of direct bilateral relations, but also contradictory policies in many regions, it is obvious that they are avoiding an escalation of tension that the West will take advantage of.
Two days ago, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 13 companies registered in Turkey as part of the expansion of restrictive measures against Russia. They were sanctioned for brokering Moscow's purchases of various equipment, mainly used in shipbuilding, transport and chemical industries.
The US made the decision three days after the unexpected visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Russia and his meeting with Putin, during which he conveyed a personal message from Erdogan.
The visit took place after President Putin's alarming statements. The Russian leader said that "Turkey provides military support to Ukraine" and that Kiev "uses Turkish drones to strike Russian targets." Putin did not rule out that "these drones could be used to undermine Russian-Turkish gas pipelines." In addition, "Ankara's desire to receive urgent loans from the West will damage the Turkish economy, since the West will require Ankara to comply with anti-Russian sanctions."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly rejected the possibility of Ankara joining sanctions against Russia, despite pressure from the United States, especially President Biden, who forced the Turkish leader to agree to Sweden and Finland joining NATO. Everyone understands perfectly well that Ankara cannot join the anti-Russian sanctions. Turkey receives more than 50% of its natural gas from Russia. Moreover, Russian companies continue to work on the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Mersin province. The state Corporation Rosatom and the Turkish Ministry of Energy are in the process of negotiations on the construction of a second nuclear power plant in northern Turkey on the Black Sea coast, which will cost more than $ 25 billion.
Turkey and Russia understand that they need each other. And this is despite the differences — not only for historical reasons, but also because Ankara is a member of NATO and a participant in all plans of the United States and the West since its accession to the alliance in 1952, and then to the Baghdad Pact.
This is what made Turkey an important player in the region, as in the case of the Greater Middle East project, and then the so-called "Arab Spring". Moscow, in turn, sees Turkey as an outlet for direct and indirect financial transactions. Turkish banks have opened their doors wide to Russian capital fleeing from European countries and estimated by some experts at about $200 billion. According to other estimates, the volume of official and unofficial trade and financial transactions is at least $400 billion per year. Russia imports equipment and goods from Turkey, which helps Ankara overcome a serious economic and financial crisis after Western and international financial capitals refused to lend to Turkey.
It is reported that Turkey's gas debt to Russia is about $ 60 billion, but the Russian side does not knock this money out of it.
All these factors, as well as those that threaten Turkish-Russian relations, continue to be intricately intertwined. Ankara has refused to use the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, which it bought from Russia for $ 2.5 billion, as they caused a new round of tension in relations with Washington. Last week, the Pentagon approved the sale of 75 F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The first batch will be delivered in 2028, when the presidential elections will be held in Turkey.
This decision coincided with the statement made by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan about Ankara's desire to join the BRICS after his visit to China. Fidan not only visited the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, but also stated that Turkey supports "the policy of one China, its territorial integrity and sovereignty."
This has provoked criticism from Turkish nationalist and even some Western political circles, since talks about China's sovereignty and territorial integrity include the Taiwan issue.
In any case, whatever the points of disagreement and rapprochement between the two sides, not only in terms of direct bilateral relations, but also contradictory policies in many regions, primarily in Syria, Libya and the Caucasus, they avoid further escalation of tension, which the West will certainly take advantage of.
This explains the differences between Russia and Turkey in Libya, joint actions in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger against France and America, as well as the "freeze" in Syria.
Russia is interested in Turkey's current and potential role as a reliable mediator in resolving the Ukrainian crisis. Moscow prefers Ankara over Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in this matter. Turkey is of strategic importance not only in terms of the relations we discussed, but also its geographical location – it controls the Black Sea ports, which are very important for Russia in the face of ongoing escalation from the West and the risk of nuclear confrontation, as President Putin recently warned.
And this is not counting the historical points of contention between the Russian and Ottoman-Turkish sides since 1550. The history includes at least 15 fierce wars between the two sides, most of which were fought for control of the Black Sea in different periods of history.
"The Turkish world from the Adriatic to the Great Wall of China" – the slogan put forward by former Turkish President Turut Ozal after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of Muslim republics in the Caucasus and Central Asia - has led to new problems. Ankara, along with President Erdogan, views the Caucasus and Central Asia as a continuation of the Ottoman-Turkish national dream, while Moscow considers these regions its garden and does not want anyone to enter there without permission and prior agreement with it!
